Improvement in endless-traveling sidewalks



PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED SPEER, OF PASSAIC, NEW JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENT IN ENDLESS-TRAVELING SIDEWALKS.

Specication forming part of Letters Patent No. 119,796, dated October 10, 1871.

To all whom it may concern;

Beit known that I, ALFRED SFEER, of Passaic, in the county of Passaic and State of New J ersey, have invented a new and Improved Endless- Traveling Sidewalk; andI do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvement in the means for conveying passengers in streets; and consists in the use of transfer-cars in connection with an endless-traveling sidewalk and a permanent way alongside thereof, as hereinafter fully described.

Figure 1 is an end elevationof my improved traveling sidewalk. Fig. 2 is a side elevation. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of one of the cars for transferring from one to the other of the permanent and movable walks, and Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A is a permanent walk suspended from the buildings B in any suitable way. C is the endless-traveling walk of platform-cars, connected together and mounted on rails D, elevated on posts E in any suitable way, so that the top of the platform will be level with the walk A. These cars are to be propelled at a suitable rate of speed continuously by stationary engines or any other means. Awnings H are employed to shelter the passengers. To facilitate the getting on and oif with safety I propose to have small cars I mounted with the wheels of one side on a rail, K, on the permanent way, and those of the other side on a rail, L, on the movable walk, and each set provided with an independent brake, M N, so that a person on the stationary walk wishing to get on the movable one, taking the brake-handle for the wheels running on the rail on the stationary walk and forcing the brake down on the wheels, can readily stop the car, as the wheels upon the movable track will simply turn on their aXles without moving the car forward. He may then step on the foot-board N of the car I, and, releasing the brake he first set in action and setting the other in action with the wheels on the movable platform, will cause the car .I to move with the platform, after which he may get off the car I, release the lastmentioned brakes, and leave the car to the next person wishing to get on or off. For the latter operation the car I will be caused by the brake ofthe Wheels on the traveling walk to move with the platform until the passenger gets on the foot-board. Then it will be stopped as at first, and he will step off upon the permanent way.

Any suitable number of these transferring-cars will be arranged along the whole route, so as to be at all times at the service of passengers. Many persons may get on and off at the same time, according to the capacity of the transfer-cars.

These cars may have seats above the footboards, for persons who are aged or inrm to rest on while they are stopping or starting.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The combination, with the endless-traveling sidewalk and the permanent way, of the transfer-cars l, substantially as specified.

ALFRED SPEER.

Witnesses:

T. B. MosEEE, ALEX. F. ROBERTS. 

